Tech Ranch Austin

Free Legal Clinic for Entrepreneurs: Hosted by Tech Ranch, MWR Legal, LiftFund and Texas C-BAR

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Free Legal Clinic for Entrepreneurs

In an effort to accelerate business development in Austin, various groups will host a pro-bono legal clinic where business owners can receive consultation on topics like business formation, trademarks and patents

At a glance:

  • MWR Legal, LiftFund, Tech Ranch, and Texas C-BAR/Texas RioGrande Legal Aid are teaming up to provide a pro-bono legal clinic for entrepreneurs and start-up businesses
  • The clinic will take place on Thursday, September 17, 2015, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Tech Ranch

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Howdy, Alumni!

techranch austin 2Did you miss the July Round Up? It was a huge success, and we would like to thank everyone who attended. It was a wonderful networking opportunity and a chance to learn from our speakers, Brent Elyea and Brian Massey.

July Round Up Speaker Summary
Our first training session, “Don’t Put Your Foot in Your Mouth in Front of CTAN,” was presented by Brent Elyea, executive director of the Central Texas Angel Network, a company reaching out to the investor and entrepreneur community.

  • Brent provided guidance on what entrepreneurs should do to attract investors.
  • The presentation told entrepreneurs what to expect when attracting investors.
  • We learned how entrepreneurs can avoid major pitfalls with the investor community.

Our second training session, “Writing About Your Business: Getting Past the Bouncers in our Brains,” was presented by Brian Massey. Brian possesses a rare blend of technical talent and marketing vision that has built him a reputation for solving complex problems.

  • The presentation included examples from online tests and a list of tactics to use in your copy that can help you stand out and persuade.
  • Brian talked about how originality is required for his neurological approach towards writing ad copy.
  • We were shown why everything needs to be tested so that our writing will better penetrate filters build into the physiology of the brain.
  • He explained how things such as your website copy and value proposition can turn fickle online visitors into curious prospects…if you get them right.

Save the Date for the next Alumni Round Up on September 26th
We will have a CPA, Tom Panagiotou from TJP Financial, who supports SMB speaking, as well as RAM Law Firm.   Have any burning questions or topics you would like covered? If you have suggestions, please email Linda at
alumni@techranchaustin.com

Alumni LinkedIn Group
Have a request or an offer you want to put out to the alumni group right away? Post it in our alumni LinkedIn group! Ask alumni member questions, start discussions, fill a request or place an offer to your fellow alumni. Join here!

Tech Ranch Austin invited to support entrepreneurs for PitchWeek Mexico

Snap 2014-08-14 at 16.47.51It’s not uncommon for Tech Ranch Austin to take a road trip to visit entrepreneurs in other countries. In fact, Tech Ranch has worked with entrepreneurs in 21 countries. This week, Kevin Koym is visiting Mexico to assist in PitchWeek, an event connecting entrepreneurs to venture capitalists, as part of the country’s Entrepreneur Week.

In just three days, 24 startups with pitch their businesses to venture capitalists looking to make investments. These startups were selected to present from hundreds of applications.

Kevin is participating in PitchWeek by assisting and coaching the entrepreneurs on how to present, communicate the traction their businesses have gained and what aspects of their startup to feature before they present to the VCs.

PitchWeek is hosted by The Employers Confederation of the Mexican Republic (Coparmex), a business organization that brings together more than 80 percent of the “high impact” entrepreneurs in Mexico, and its more than 36,000 member companies are responsible for 30 percent of the country’s GDP and 4.8 million formal jobs.

Kevin was invited to participate in PitchWeek by the leadership of Coparmex following workshops Tech Ranch held in the State of Veracruz last month as a part of Veracruz’ Entrepreneur Week. The workshops drew 60 entrepreneurs to two events held in Xalapa and the city of Veracruz. The State of Veracruz funded these workshops.

Snap 2014-08-14 at 16.48.16

Kevin is personally excited to see Mexico jumping with growth. “It is clear that this is a whole different Mexico than I experienced when I first lived in Mexico more than 20 years ago, after he launched his first customer in the city of Guadalajara.”

Today, the excitement in the air is palpable, and it’s visible through all the new building construction and in the faces of people who firmly believe Mexico is growing.

Kevin says, “It’s exciting for Tech Ranch Austin to be a part of the growth, and it’s an even greater reward to help build bridges between Mexico and Austin and to connect emerging technology entrepreneurs with real opportunities in Texas and around the world.”

The 24th Cohort of Venture Forth™ Entrepreneurs is Forming @TechRanch

vf-Banner-entrepreneurs-riding-training

On May 27th, 2014, a cohort of 15 passionate entrepreneurs will band together to exchange social capital, create opportunities, and accelerate their ventures to startup success. Venture Forth™ is Tech Ranch’s premier program for early-staged startups to gain traction quickly while building out the platform to grow their business. It is the most cost effective and time efficient startup development program in Austin. Taking action quickly and early is promoted.

Something unique happens when you put 15 committed entrepreneurs together in an accelerated 8-week process. A “community of practice” emerges where everyone is driven to try new things and provide opportunities and insight for members of their “extended team.” This is how you arrive at a product the market will buy.

There are no applications, just commitment. If you are passionate to change the world with your venture, then plan to attend the upcoming info session about the forming cohort.

Important Dates for the next Venture Forth™ cohort
Early Bird: April 29, 2014
Registration Due Date: May 20, 2014
Program Start: May 27, 2014

Learn more online and RSVP for the upcoming info session here.

Best Regards,

Daniel Heron
Business Coordinator @TechRanch
dheron@techranchaustin.com

Meet some the #VF22 Graduates

vf22 cohort

Venture Forth #22 was an amazing diverse group of entrepreneurs working on a wide arrange of technology startups. Here is a sample of some of the ventures that participated in our first VF cohort of 2014.

David Nelson of RepairOrReplaceIt – We offer an online marketplace for repair of devices to help reduce the cost and hassle of keeping electronics and appliances in working order.

Truong-An Thai of FitChimp – FitChimp removes the barriers to workplace wellness. Our interactive “micro-gym” enable employees to engage in energy boosting and pain reducing 2-5 minute micro-workouts, without having to change clothes or shower.

Stephanie Dentinger of Horns Connect LLC – Horns Connnect enhances loyalty by supporting businesses in your Longhorn alumni network. We have established both a social and professional (online directory) platform for alumni and fans to build their business.

Gabriel Valles of MentorWings.com –  MentorWings gives students direct access to seasoned Mentors and structured learning with a pathway to industry and entrepreneurship. We also help Mentors build a personal brand and business from their teaching. We want to be the home of million dollar teachers.

Knut Graf of Graf Systems LLC  – Our software, Hoversight, provides smart, simple handling of UAV images as a tool for targeted land stewardship. We connect UAV capabilities to real needs on the farm.

Luissette and Luis Figueroa of Health Innovators Systems, Inc. – HealthPasskey is a web-based application that reduces 30-day hospital readmission rates by adhering patients to their follow-up plan and coordinating care. We save lives. Would you like to learn how we accomplish this?

Gary Wagner of Warp10 Games, LLC – Warp10 makes innovative, free to play mobile games, by combining the casual virality and compulsion loops of Candy Crush, with the monetization and retention of mid-core games.

Lauren Foster of CatFoster Media LLC –  Stretch is a life made easy mobile app that helps consumers pair their budget with nutritional chef recipes while earning points to redeem coupons

Eric Stallsmith of USOutfitters.com – For the past 14 years we have designed and implemented full service marketing strategies for small outdoor recreation companies. Now we are scaling our delivery of this.

RuDee Sade Lipscomb of At The Door – At The Door helps property owners distribute, track and monitor access to their homes. 

Bassanio Peters of Assisted Development LLC – We created a web / mobile platform that converges product development, crowd funding, & social media to give anyone with an ideas access to the necessary resources & expertise to create innovative products.

Dan Bryant of Vertical Information Systems, Inc. – Verticalinfo creates software tools for small companies to run field services. Using web applications and android devices in the field. We help specialists to optimize their operations 

 

Be sure to come check all the graduates pitch THIS FRIDAY (March 28th, 2014) at the Alumni Round Up.

RSVP HERE